Reasons
by ChasleyVega
Summary: They both were hiding something. Something that could change both of their lives forever. Troyella oneshot songfic. Rated to be safe. Please R&R.


**A/N:**I really wanted to post the sequel to Thinking it Through before I put this up, but I still can't figure some parts out to that story yet. So I'm posting this first, and for those of you who are waiting, I'll try to have the sequel up by next week. I apologize for the wait, but I was getting stuck on how to finish off some parts, and I've been struggling to find some inspiration. If you have any ideas, feel free to tell me! I think I can try to work most of them into my story, and I could really use the help. I'll be sure to credit you in my story if I do use your ideas unless you tell me otherwise. Anyway, this is a oneshot songfic inspired by the song Runaway by Pink, off her I'm Not Dead album.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing (except for the character Aaron Bolton, and Marshall). I don't own the song, or High School Musical.

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**Troy Bolton **sighed deeply as he stared into the mirror. He pulled on his white Navy hat, and adjusted his uniform for what seemed like the millionth time. Then he picked up his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. Not wanting to wake his parents, who were sleeping downstairs, he unlatched his window, and climbed out, rather than using the front door. His parents knew he was leaving, as they had said their goodbyes last night before they went to bed. As he slid down the rope he had tied to the roof, he was careful not to push off too roughly on the walls so as not to disturb his parents. Once he touched ground, he made a running jump over his back fence and onto the sidewalk. It was still dark as he started walking.

_I've got my things packed_

_My favorite pillow_

_Got my sleeping bag_

_Climb out the window_

All of a sudden, he broke into a run. He cut across a few yards, made a few, unexpected turns, and ended up in front of an all too familiar house. He opened the back gate, dropped his bag, and quickly scaled up the tree. He jumped over the railing landed softly on her balcony. He quickly picked the lock, something he had learned to do over the years, after all of his late night visits. He softly opened the door, and cautiously made his way to the bed, where a girl was sleeping soundly.

"Gabriella," he breathed quietly.

He brushed a curl away from her face, and gave her a short but sweet kiss on the forehead. As he turned back around, he stopped in front of her mirror. As he looked over every inch of his uniform, he couldn't help but think. He, Troy Bolton, was going to war. And his girlfriend didn't even know. He had wanted to tell her, he really did, but he couldn't bring himself to bring her down from the high she always seemed to be on when they were together. He loved her too much to hurt her. And she didn't need anymore hurt, not with what was going on with her family.

_All the pictures and pain_

_I left behind_

_All the freedom and fame_

_I've gotta find_

_And I wonder_

_How long it'll take them to notice that I'm gone_

_And I wonder_

_How far it'll take me_

He had told her he was going to "camp" over the summer. He didn't really say what kind, but that's where he got his training. All summer, he had been training for war, and she hadn't suspected a thing. She probably thought it was like basketball camp or something. He snapped out of his daydream, and turned away from the mirror. Quickly realizing that there were places he needed to be, he walked out of her room, closing the balcony doors behind him. He quickly climbed down the tree, picked up his bag, and exited the way he came. A few more miles and he would be at the airport where a plane would fly him away, away from his family, away from his girl, and away from home. What had he gotten himself into? He tried to convince himself that this was not a mistake, and that this is what he needed to do. After all, they took his brother.

Aaron Bolton, the guy everyone looked up to, especially Troy. Aaron was more the football type, but he was a great friend, did well in school, and treated everyone equally. To Troy, Aaron was more than just a role model. He was a playmate, his best friend (next to Chad of course), a confident, and a big brother. The only thing that he regretted, was taking Aaron for granted. Everyone was constantly telling him that he was lucky to be Aaron's little brother, but he never realized how lucky, until the day before Troy's 11th birthday. Being older by 10 years, Aaron was 21 and working in the military. Aaron was stationed in Virginia, and was supposed to come home in time for Troy's birthday. But the plane he was on was hijacked, and he never made it home. And that had started a whole war. At about 1 in the morning, Troy got the call that would confirm his worst fear. Aaron was gone.

Troy thought about this the rest of the walk, and even as he sat down in the airport waiting for his plane.

_To run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Run away_

_This life makes no sense to me_

_Run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

**Gabriella Montez **woke with a start as her alarm clock beeped loudly, and the red lights flashed 2:30 AM. She slammed her fist down on it, silently praying that the house was still asleep. When she didn't hear any movement, she jumped out of bed, changed clothes, and washed her face and tied her hair in the bathroom. She grabbed a large bag sitting underneath her desk, and opened her balcony doors, letting a cool early morning breeze in. She walked over to the edge of the balcony and threw the large bag down. It landed with a soft thud on some flowers. Her mom was not going to be happy, but then she remembered that she didn't give a damn about her parents anymore. They were constantly fighting and yelling at each other. And when they weren't doing that, her father hit her while her mother cried in her room out of fear of her father, and anger. She just couldn't take it anymore. She didn't even bother to leave a note. "_It's not like they would care anyway," _she thought.

_I was just trying to be myself_

_You go your way I'll meet you in hell_

_It's all these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away_

_It's hypocritical of you_

_Do as you say not as you do_

_I'll never be your perfect girl_

_I've got to run away_

_I'm too young to be_

_Taken seriously_

_But I'm too old to believe_

_All this hypocrisy_

_And I wonder_

_How long it'll take them to see my bed is made_

_And I wonder_

_If I was a mistake_

Her boyfriend, Troy, knew about her parents and how much it upset her. She had told him about their fighting, but she had never told him about her dad abusing her. She was afraid her father would find out she told someone, and do something to hurt him.

She slid her hand into her jacket pocket, and gripped her plane ticket tightly. It was her only way out of here, out of this dreadful place she called home. She was going to fly out to New York, finish up high school there, and hopefully start an entirely new life, and nobody had to know.

_I might have nowhere left to go_

_But I know that I cannot go home_

_These words are strapped inside my head_

_Tell me to run before I'm dead_

_Chase the rainbows in my mind_

_And I will try to stay alive_

_Maybe the world will know one day_

_Why won't you help me run away_

A three-mile walk later, she arrived at the airport. After getting her only bag checked by TSA (A/N: for those of you who don't know, TSA is basically security), she made her way to gate 42. She checked her phone. _3:47 am_. She had time to kill, since her flight didn't leave till 4:30. She picked a chair, sat down, and pulled out the latest novel she was reading.

Meanwhile, Troy and some of his buddies decided to get some coffee from the Starbucks stand, which just so happened to be right next to gate 42. As they made their way over, they were all goofing off when all of a sudden Troy's friend, Marshall, tripped and face planted over a bag in the aisle.

There was a loud thud, as Gabriella looked up from her book. "Oh my gosh, I am soooo sorry!" She said, pulling her bag on the side.

"No, it's fine. I should've been watching where I was going."

As Troy went to pull Marshall up from the floor, he locked eyes with Gabriella.

"Hey man, you wanna go get me my coffee for me? I drink black," he told Marshall, still keeping his eyes locked with Gabriella's.

He handed Marshall some money for his drink. Marshall nodded in response, and walked off towards the Starbucks stand. As Troy covered the short distance between them, Gabriella put her book down and stood up.

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Run away_

_This life makes no sense to me_

_Run away_

"What are you doing here?" He asked her, whispering.

"I-I don't- what are _you_ doing here?" She retorted, trying to keep her voice steady, and noticing his Navy uniform. She fumbled with the ticket in her pocket.

"I'm here on business," he replied shortly.

"At 4 in the morning, in an airport?"

"Yes, now don't stray from the question. Why are you here?"

"I-I'm flying out to New York." She fidgeted a little.

"When did you decide this?"

"Uh, I don't know. Kinda a while ago."

"Really? And you didn't tell me?"

"Well, my parents just woke me up at 1:30 this morning, gave me a ticket to New York, and told me to stay there for a couple of days."

"Liar. You were still sleeping when I came to see you at 2 this morning. You wanna know what I think? I think you're running away."

"No, -wait, you came to see me?"

"Yeah, I picked the lock on your balcony. I wanted to see you before I left."

"Left for what?"

"I'm leaving, Gabriella. Leaving for war."

"What?"

"No, please tell me this is a joke."

"It's not. My plane leaves in an hour."

"You're going to war and you didn't tell me?"

"You didn't tell me you were running away to New York in the middle of the night!"

"You're going to war," she muttered to herself. "So how were you planning to end this relationship? Were you even _planning_ to end it?"

"Look, I didn't want to hurt you. And I figured you don't need anymore hurt especially with everything that's been happening with your parents."

"So you thought this would be better? Not telling me? So what did you think I was gonna do when I found out you were gone, possibly forever? I wouldn't have gotten the chance to say goodbye, to say the things I've always wanted to tell you."

"Well, I'm here now. You can say what you need to."

"No! It doesn't work like that! I can't just tell you out of nothing!"

"Why can't you just tell me? Why does everything have to be so complicated with you?"

"It's not! I just- I… I love you, Troy, you know that."

"Clearly you don't love me enough to stay."

"Stop trying to turn the tables Troy! I could say the same for you!"

"No, no you can't. What I did, I did with your best interests at heart. So now explain to me how you leaving does me any good!"

She bit her lip and looked down, defeated. "It doesn't," she answered quietly. "But I just couldn't take it anymore Troy!"

"They're just fighting, it's not that huge of a deal!"

"Oh, it's a lot bigger of a deal than you think," she whispered.

"No… Gabriella…" he said, his eyes wide with fear. "He doesn't… hit you… does he?"

She gave a small nod.

"Oh, Gabriella," he whispered as he ran a hand down the side of her face. "I am so, so sorry. If I had known, if you had told me, I wouldn't have signed up. I wouldn't have to go."

"So now you're trying to make you leaving my fault?"

"No. It's not your fault. It's mine, for not being a better boyfriend. For not knowing, for not caring enough to find out. I'm sorry."

"If you're so sorry, then why can't you stay here? With me?"

"I have to do this. They took my brother, Gabriella. They took my brother when he was 21. He had his whole life ahead of him, and I was only 11 when he died. He died the day of my birthday. He was on that plane that was hijacked. I have to do this, not for me, my family or anyone else. For him."

_I could sing for change_

_On a Paris street_

_Be a red light dancer_

_In New Orleans_

_I could start again_

_To the family_

_I could change my name_

_Come and go as I please_

_In the dead of night_

_You'll wonder where I've gone_

_Wasn't it you_

_Wasn't it you_

_Wasn't it you that made me run away_

"Wow." She laughed dryly. "Shows just how much we really know about each other."

"Gabriella, listen, you can't leave. You have people here who love you, like Chad, Taylor, Jason, Kelsi, Ryan and Sharpay. You don't have to stay with your parents, but you can't run away. They would miss you too much."

"So what about you? Do our friends know about you leaving? Or was I the only one who didn't know about this?" Her tone was frustrated and a little angry, but also a little hurt too.

"No," he sighed as lifted his hat, set it down next to him and ran a hand through his hair. "They didn't know. Only my parents know. And you, now that you've found me here."

That at least made her feel a little better. "Why do you have to go?" She whimpered.

"What's my reason to stay?"

Her eyes started to brim with tears. "Am I not a good enough reason to stay?" She asked, as she turned away to hide the tears that were falling down her face.

He ran a hand over his face. "No, no. I didn't mean it like that. It's just… There are things I need to do. In life, there are always going to be the things we're gonna wish we did, things we could've done, and things we should've done. And once we run out of time to do them, it's over. There's no going back and erasing things, whiting things out, or writing them over like an essay. I really want to stay with you, believe me, I do. But if I stay, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life, wondering what would've happened if I had done this. And I wanna spend the rest of my life on other things, like you, a real job, and a family." He may have gotten the last word, but he knew that he had lost the argument.

At that point, she knew that there was no way he was changing his mind. Nothing she did or said would change his position. And as much as she hated it, this was the way it was. But she had to at least try.

"But why do you have to go now? You have your whole life ahead of you too, so why are you throwing it away at 18? We're seniors, Troy, this is supposed to be the greatest year of our high school career! Just because when you turn 18 you're of age to enter the army doesn't mean you need to! Not at this age. You could've waited until we finished high school at least!"

"Don't lecture me about throwing my life away! You're the one with a plane ticket to New York!" He snapped. His voice quieted. "And it's not like I'm throwing my life away. I'll still graduate, I'll still be able to go to college and play basketball."

"Only if you come home! What if something happens to you?" By now, her eyes were red and tears were flowing freely down her face, occasionally being wiped by the back of her hand.

"Nothing's gonna happen," he said pulling her into an embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. "I promise you."

_I was just trying to be myself_

_You go your way I'll meet you in hell_

_All these secrets that I shouldn't tell I've got to run away_

_It's hypocritical of you_

_Do as you say not as you do_

_Never be your perfect girl_

_I've got to run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Run away_

_This life makes no sense to me_

_Run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Run away_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_This life makes no sense to me_

_It don't make no sense to me_

_It don't make any sense to me_

_Life don't make any sense to me_

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**A/N:** Ok, well after I read through this, I kinda started to think it would sound better without the song lyrics. But I don't really know. Let me know what you think! And if it sounds unfinished, I meant to leave it like that. I didn't want to give it a finality feeling where he leaves her, but I didn't want to give off the impression that he was going to stay. Since it's so cliffy at the end, I'm thinking about making it a two or threeshot, but I'm not sure yet. Like I said before, be sure to let me know what you think! And any feedback is always welcome!

Thanks,

Chasley Vega


End file.
